


A Learning Curve

by CheckersXIV



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-23 22:35:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7482555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheckersXIV/pseuds/CheckersXIV
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"If you mention aliens again, I swear, now is not the time for that."</p><p>"No, no, you're right, I promise, I won't anymore. What I meant was that you had just decided 'hey, I'm going to go confess to my crush of three years.' But, now it's like 'yikes, that would look really bad if I was seen kissing my student.' "</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Learning Curve

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kythen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kythen/gifts).



> -  
> Un-beta'd but edited. If there are any errors (grammatical or spelling) please let me know! Also: ships after the "implied" are just that, implied and not the focus of this fic.

"Are you even qualified to teach a class Kuroo?"

"Excuse you Sawamura, who here in this apartment has the highest Grade Point Average?"

Oikawa's head popped out of his room in the hallway, "THAT WOULD BE ME TETSU-CHAN!!" Daichi and Bokuto let out a laugh from their seats at the tiny countertop that separated their tiny kitchen from their tiny common area in said apartment.

"Okay," Kuroo put that last of his washed dishes in the sink rack to dry. He moved to lean against the stove in order to face Daichi and Bokuto. "Let me rephrase that, who here in this apartment is a Science major with the highest GPA?"

"That would be Akaashi, bro" Bokuto jerked his thumb over his shoulder, indicating to Akaashi who was currently napping on the communal sofa.

Kuroo gave an exasperated sigh as a grin began to spread on Daichi's face. He wondered if it was too much to ask for his friends to not be total asses and just congratulate him on getting the Teaching Assistant position he had been having dreams of getting.

"Okay, okay, who here, who actually _lives_ in this apartment, is a Chemistry Major with all of his General Ed. classes done _and_ halfway done with his degree **_and_** has a GPA of 3.95 therefore making him very qualified for this position?"

Ushijima poked his head out of his door this time. "Kuroo, why are you referring to yourself in such an obtuse manner?"

"Seriously guys!" Akaashi gave a start from his place on the couch and a series of laughs begin to echo in the apartment from Kuroo's so-called friends.

Chuckling, Bokuto sprang up from his seat moving a few steps to lean over the back of the sofa. The was a soft spoken apology for waking him up.

Kuroo assumes all was forgiven from how Bokuto was pulled a little further over the sofa and silenced with what was probably a kiss from his boyfriend.

"Well," Daichi still had that overly gleeful grin on his face, "Just because you're smart doesn't mean you're qualified to teach people. That's two entirely different things."

Kuroo feigned a hurt gasp as Bokuto popped up to yell "OOOO-," only to be silenced as a pair of arms wrapped around his neck pulling him back down, all the way over and on to the sofa.

Heavy footsteps indicate Ushijima's arrival as he made his way into the common area, looking at his phone as he walks. "Nevertheless, congratulations on acquiring the job Kuroo."

"THANK YOU, USHIJIMA, MY ONE REAL FRIEND. THANK YOU VERY MUCH."

"You're welcome?" Ushijima spared a glance at the sofa, seemed to think better of going into that area, and took Bokuto's former seat at the countertop. "Satori also wishes for me to convey his excitement for you. Do you start with the new semester?"

"Yup, I get to work under Nishimi Sensei and help her with her research." Kuroo felt a smirk settle on his face as he moved forward to lean on the counter. His arms braced his body weight as he slouched over the surface, the loose tank top he was wearing hung off him.  "Better yet, I get to start my own research now that I have access to the machines in the lab."

Ushijima nodded, "That does seem to be very beneficial to you and your career goals. I hope all goes well for you."

"Thanks man."

"Okay," Daichi rolled his neck earning a few cracks, "That still doesn't tell me how you're going to keep said job seeing as you are going to be teaching... what class level will you even be teaching?"

Oikawa chose that moment to slide into the room, gliding on the floor in his socks. "Tetsu-chan is teaching Chem 107, it's an intro course." He picked up a throw pillow off the floor and hit Bokuto over the head with it. "Akaashi-san is going to miss his train back home if you keep sucking his face off Kou-chan."

There was a loud _SHIT_ followed by Bokuto being thrown to the opposite end of the sofa. Akaashi sprang into view as he frantically grabbed for his phone to confirm the time. It took a few minutes, but soon he had gathered up his belongings and was making a hasty goodbye. Bokuto was at the door with him saying something about how good boyfriends walk their boyfriends to the train station when Oikawa cleared his throat.

"Dai-chan you look like someone just told you that aliens don't exists." Kuroo shifted his weight to his right arm in order to remove some of the pressure off his left one. Sure enough, Daichi was looking pretty shocked, his eyes glued to something on his phone screen.

Kuroo looked back at Oikawa, "Dude, we've been over this. Aliens don't exist."

"Agree to disagree, non-believer." Kuroo scoffed but Oikawa had moved back to the topic, "Dai-chan seriously though, what's wrong?"

A whine of agony was their only response until Ushijima leaned back a little to peer at his phone. He blinked, "Ah, it appears that Daichi may be in Kuroo's class next semester."

The kitchen froze for a moment, no one moved or even breathed. Then Oikawa's laughter began to spill from his lips. "OH, OH MY GOD, OH MY GO- AHAHAHA!!"

Kuroo blinked a few times trying to process what was just said.

Daichi. In his class. His chemistry class. The class that Kuroo was in charge of. Daichi working as a student under Kuroo's instruction.

 In the midst of Oikawa's laughter, Ushijima gave Daichi a sympathetic pat on the back.

"Better get used to calling him 'Sensei,' Daichi."

The gaffing laugh left Kuroo before he could stop himself, he curled in on himself and feeling his hearty laughter leave his lungs in deep breaths. Oikawa set off laughing even louder, Ushijima's smile was nothing short of teasing, and Daichi just groaned letting his head hit the countertop.

"God, just let me suffer in silence." They left laughing while Daichi wallowed in his impending doom, each with a pat on the shoulder.

The laughter died down as they headed to their respective rooms, Kuroo still chuckling. Suddenly, he felt a hand grip his elbow and drag him into the room across the way from his. The door was quickly shut and Oikawa fixed him with a knowing look, one that said more than he had even dared to say. He had probably picked up on how Kuroo hadn't laughed at first and figured out just what exactly that had meant. The man was too damn observant, a trait that had reminded him of Kenma, and now loathed for this split second of actual panic.

Yet, Kuroo was Kuroo so he quickly defuse this situation by-

"So, tell me what you're going to do now that you have to deal with your crush staring at you for hours a day during lecture?"

Well so much for that.

"Fuck."

"I know, and I know I had given you that pep-talk when you said you would be confessing soon, but I take it all back now."

Kuroo's head snapped to look at him, "What, why not?"

"Think about how bad that would look? Not because you're two men, but you're now technically his teacher and he's going to be your student. Accusations of cheating, you being bribable, it's going to look pretty bad Tetsurou."

Fuck. "Fuck."

"I know."

Kuroo dropped himself down on Oikawa's bed, running a hand through his hair. "Goddamn it, why is this even a thing? Why does he even need that class- my class out of all of them?" He felt a dip in the bed as Oikawa sat down next to him.

"I think the universe is out to get you. Aliens are going after the non-believers one by o-" Kuroo shoved him off the bed and Oikawa landed on the floor with a squawk. "That is the last time I try to be nice to you Tetsu-chan, bed rights are now revoked! OFF!!"

Kuroo stretched out over the bed, "I doubt you have any solid advice for me on this time around. I don't think that  Iwaizumi-san or you had to deal with this shit in all your years of pinning." A sigh reached his ears as Oikawa shifted somewhere on the floor.

"Well, no. Besides the entire thing is sort of cosmic irony."

"If you mention aliens again, I swear, now is not the time for that."

"No, no, you're right, I promise, I won't anymore. What I meant was that you had just decided 'hey, I'm going to go confess to my crush of three years.' But, now it's like 'yikes, that would look really bad if I was seen kissing my student.' "

"Gee, I had no idea Tooru."

"I hate it when you get like this."

"I just..." Kuroo sighed and rolled to face the wall. "I'm sorry, I know I'm being rude when you're just trying to lighten things up. Thanks."

"Well, I haven't done anything to actually help you, so don't thank me just yet."

It was quiet in the room, afternoon light gleaming in through the window and soft acoustic music of some sort drifted from Oikawa's laptop located at his desk.  Kuroo recognized it as something that Iwaizumi would listen to, which meant Oikawa was missing him. He chose not to say anything and instead focused on his own dilemma.

Kuroo had been, as Oikawa put it, 'pinning' over Daichi Sawamura for the better half of a good three years now. It had stupidly started  some time in-between those first two handshakes of the Karasuno vs. Nekoma practice match and only intensified during the training camps of his third year in high school.

Not to mention nationals, that had been something else. When all had been said and done, Kuroo had found himself attending college a year later with Daichi. Well, Daichi and the other guys too, not that the other guys weren't as important as him. It's probably safe to say that his little crush had evolved from just that to full blown mushy feelings during the time.

Living with the man was both a blessing and a curse. His second year of college found Kuroo migrating to the library under the guise of studying more and more to escape the heart pounding presence of Daichi Sawamura. Then Sawamura had found his study corner, Kuroo suspects Bokuto tipped him off, and starting stopping by to bring him coffee or snacks always with an encouragement or praise for taking his studies so seriously.

He really has Sawamura to thank for his great GPA right now, it was what gave him an advantage over the other applicants for the Teaching Assistant position. Now, however, he was stuck spending his last few days of summer break regretting even getting the damn job. It wouldn't look professional if he starting dating a student in his class. It's that terrible college idea that, 'Hey, sleep with a professor to get an A in the course,' he does not want directed at himself or Daichi for that matter. How was he supposed to even know- wait. Kuroo flung himself up into a sitting position, grinning. "I think I got a loophole here." Oikawa had migrated to his desk during Kuroo's internal crisis and spun the chair around to face him.

"Well do tell, because I've got nothing."

"I start dating him now."

"Uh, how is that any better?"

"No, see, class schedules don't officially get released for another day or so. The only reason we all know ours is because you got us early access thanks to that elderly secretary friend of yours."

"Your point-," Oikawa paused, "Ohhh, oh, you sneaky cat."

Kuroo grinned, "If I'm already dating him before I'm offically his teacher it's not really a bad thing now is it?"

"I mean, it's still kind of weird. But, it's no longer in appropriate in a way. You're still going to have to hide it because the other faculty might not like it."

"I'll take what I can get at this point."

"Sooooo, how are you going to confess to him?"

Kuroo felt his grin freeze. He hadn't thought about that. It must have shown on his face because Oikawa began laughing at him. He seriously needs better friends.

\---

Evening finds Kuroo alone, stretched out over the small sofa, some random movie playing on the large TV (the only thing even remotely, heh TV pun, large in the entire apartment) and a neglected bowl of popcorn sitting on the ground near his head.

Despite the now friendly relations between the two, Oikawa and Ushijima still had a tendency to  ruffle each others' feathers and would sometimes let loose in competitive sports that weren't volleyball related to let out their pent up aggressions. Today's choice was basketball, they had left not too long ago, dragging a sullen Bokuto along with them. Oikawa stated he was 'desperately needed' because a referee was required to keep the points fair. Everyone else knew it was because he always went into a depression slump after Akaashi left Tokyo to go back to his home within the prefecture.

Daichi had left the apartment sometime when Kuroo had been hanging out in Oikawa's room. That left him the apartment to himself and nothing to distract him from his thoughts. So, Kuroo made himself a distraction with a TV marathon of foreign films and had planted himself on the sofa.

Kuroo had found himself horribly engrossed in the French film that was playing, The Intouchables, and was too busy openly sobbing at the end credits to notice the front door open and close.

"God, what were you watching?"

Kuroo jumped into a sitting position at the words and found himself looking at Daichi. "A VERY HEART-WARMING MOVIE."

Daichi glanced at the credits, "are you sure?"

"YES, THESE ARE HAPPY TEARS!"

"Uh-huh, Okay." Daichi dropped his bag and sat down next to him on the sofa, taking the spot where his head used to be and picking up the bowl of popcorn. "What are you even doing?"

"Marathoning some foreign films on TV," Kuroo sniffed, "You know, just killing time."

"Are you sure they aren't killing you?"

"Rude, Sawamura."

Daichi laughed and set the bowl of popcorn in his lap. "So which one is next?" Kuroo stared at him for a second before reaching for the remote to check the TV guide.

"Looks like an American one, called The Grand Budapest, am I saying that right?, Hotel."

"Huh, sounds interesting. Let's see what it's about."

-

Not even thirty minutes into the movie, Kuroo gets a text message from Bokuto saying that Oikawa, Ushijima, and him were out getting dinner and would grab Daichi and him takeout.

It also found him dealing with Daichi Sawamura now asleep, feet stretching out on the ground, and using his shoulder as a pillow. As cute as that was, Kuroo was finding it increasingly harder to pay attention to the movie and ignore the growing affection he felt in his chest.

Daichi was a deep sleeper, his deep breaths almost rhythmic and defiantly sleep inducing as Kuroo felt himself give into a yawn. He wasn't even watching the movie at this point, so he moved just slightly to glimpse at Daichi's face.  His check was smooshed on Kuroo's bare shoulder, mouth just slightly parted, breaths escaping them.

Kuroo couldn't help the smile on his face, it was adorable, and was doing his best not to wake up Daichi when a yell from the TV startled him, jerking Daichi's head off his shoulder.

A series of floundering movements happening within the span of a minute.

Daichi, suddenly awake due to the motion, began to roll off of the sofa and onto the ground. The bowl that had been in his lap was sent fly into the air, sending popcorn into the air and hair of Kuroo. Daichi, in an effort to catch himself, had flung his arms out grabbing onto anything within reach. Kuroo, too startled at all the sudden motion, was suddenly yanked down as Daichi grabbed his shirt in vain to stop his own fall.

 Daichi landed on his butt, wide eyed with the side Kuroo's head in his face as Kuroo stopped his own face from landing on Daichi's crotch by gripping the arm of the sofa for dear life.  He was left with a fist in his shirt and bending at a near ninety degree angle staring at said crotch with his heart pounding in fear from the suddenness of everything.

They stayed still for a moment, both of them sucking in breath as Kuroo turned his head slowly too look at Daichi. He was greeted by the most terrified face that he had even seen in his entire life.

Perhaps it was his expression, maybe even the hilarity of their situation, but Kuroo found himself grinning, a chuckle rising from his chest forming a full on bellow as he began to laugh. Music that was Daichi's own rich, deep, laugh reached his ears and the two of them sat there laughing at whatever had just happened.

They sat there, smiling at each other as their laughter mellowed out. Kuroo found himself getting lost in his smile, wondering what it would be like to have the lips that formed it on his own. He forced his gaze down and, seeing that his shirt was being stretched out, tapped Daichi's hand so he would get the hint and let go.

He did and while Kuroo kept his gaze down, still smiling,  he saw Daichi's torso lean forward moving his legs so he was kneeling and heard a chuckle by his ear.

"You have popcorn in your hair."

Kuroo felt two hands slowly run through his hair at this point and sat up just a bit more. A part of him went 'fuck it' and he closed his eyes, a chuckle escaping his smile. He loved having fingers running through his hair, might as well enjoy it. He heard rather than felt the popcorn leaving his hair and falling to the floor. After a bit, there were still hands slowly making their way through his hair despite the sound of popcorn falling having stopped.

Then a thumb brushed his cheek.

Kuroo opened his eyes and found himself staring directly at Daichi Sawamura's face.

There was no heart pounding nerves like he had imagined there would be. The only thing Kuroo felt was how _right_ everything seemed to be, how close he was to putting that final puzzle piece into its place. To make everything be perfect, that feeling of comfort that only a person could give you. Only one thing was missing.

"Can I kiss you?"

The words were murmured from Kuroo, slow and softly, like the music now playing from the movie long forgotten. Daichi's eyes widened for a moment and Kuroo felt that little bit of panic grip his heart that he should have felt before. He was beginning to regret letting his guard down, he messed up-

_"Please."_

It was whispered, desperate, and matched with such a gaze.  He lend forward and Kuroo's lips just brushed Daichi's. Soon the kiss was dissolving into the tone set by that one word. Please.

It was quite, it was long, it was a little desperate, it was perfect. Kuroo pulled away as his back began to protest. "You know," He inhaled in some much needed air, "you might be more comfortable on the sofa, Sawamura."

That earned him a flick on the forehead. "And whose fault is it that I'm down here in the first place?"

"The movie startled me, you butt."

"Suuure." Daichi stood up and brushed some popcorn off his pants. It wasn't until he was seated next to Kuroo that either of them actually processed what just happened.

"..."

The shade of red dusting their faces was bright enough to resemble Kuroo's old Nekoma jersey, that still hung in his closet. Kuroo bit his bottom lip.

"Oh my god, I can't believe I said 'please.' " Kuroo looked at him to see Daichi resting his face in his hands. The tips of his ears were still red.

"I can't believe that I actually got to kiss you, if we're being perfectly honest here." A sharp laugh came from Daichi and he dropped the hand closest to Kuroo from his face.

"I can't believe that was our first kiss."

Kuroo blinked, "Does that mean there will be more?"

Daichi sucked in a breath and turned to face him, eye filled with determination. "You tell me."

"I would love to take you on a date sometime soon Sawamura. Especially if it means more kissing."

"We don't need to go on a date for you to kiss me Kuroo."

"Well damn, you should have told me that a year ago."

That startled a laugh out of Daichi and Kuroo felt himself beginning to relax. An odd feeling was swelling in his chest, one that he could put a name to later. Daichi was grinning at him again.

"I guess this means I can drop that Chemistry class now, right?"

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"Well," Daichi sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "I was going to take it to substitute for one of my required classes. B-but the only reason I signed up for it was because I knew how good you were at the subject. I was going to use it as an excuse to get some tutoring from you... a-and, well, spend more time with you."

Kuroo leaned forward to his face in Daichi's shoulder, his eyes wide and blush returning in full force with a vengeance.

"Kuroo?"

"Shhh, I need a moment."

"Kuroo??"

Kuroo picked his head up off of Daichi's shoulder and gave him an empty glare. "You are going to be the death of me one day Sawamura."

"Daichi."

"What?"

"You've known me for three years and now we've kissed. You should learn to use my first name." A carefree laugh escaped Kuroo and he moved to rest his forehead back on Daichi's shoulder. Seeing Daichi's free hand, Kuroo reached forward and then held it. Staring down at the hand in his own, heart pounding like he was back at nationals.

 Kuroo ran his thumb across the back of Daichi's hand.

"One step at a time, Sawamura. One step at a time."

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there Kythen!! Well wowie, let me tell you I had a lot of fun writing this one. I hope you don't mind that I kinda did a slight two in one here. I know the 'Captains Shenanigans' and Kurodai prompts were technically separate, but the two kinda merged together in my head. I'm sorry that it wasn't a K-Pop au, I got the hint but I lack the knowledge about K-pop in general so I opted for another AU. I hope you don't mind and still enjoyed it! 
> 
> Fun facts about writing this fic: That French movie, The Intouchables, is one of the most popular French films ever in Japan. My Mom and I watched it last summer, it's such a good movie, please watch it. The Grand Budapest Hotel is also good, but I don't think I displayed that properly seeing as I made Daichi fall asleep during it. I learned a lot about Japan's education system structure, specifically college level instruction. I had to be sure this stuff was factual, it's just something that I'm personally picky about. Still made Kuroo and Akaashi STEM majors though, still did it. Akaashi doesn't live with them and he goes to a different University too. Speaking of Universities, I did look into it, but given what we know about these guys canonically, I wasn't sure which exactly University these five would attend together. I just left it as somewhere vague in the Tokyo Prefecture. And Yes, 4-5 bed room apartments do actually exist in Japan. I purposely found two just to confirm I wasn't pulling a fantastical 'OHEMGEE ROOMIES' thing. I live in a rather large 4 bedroom apartment, but I'm pretty sure it's just because I live in America.
> 
> Well, Kythen, I hope that you enjoyed the story I wove together for you, in general, and wish you a fantastic summer!!


End file.
